Yes, a Complaint About the MARC Train

I've been spending the week in Baltimore, so no Route 50 commuting horror stories. However, I do have a MARC train grip.

Start Time: 7:30 am
End Time: 9:08 am

Time train left Baltimore: 7:45 am

Time train was SUPPOSED to get into DC station: 8:41 am

Time we actually got into the station: 8:54 am

Typically I don't have a lot to complain about when it comes to the MARC train. I get to sit and just chill for an hour instead of driving. I have no traffic to worry about, no need to be fully awake and alert, no commuting partner complaining to me about late arrival times - buuuut there are still problems.

Today for example, is the perfect example of small but decently aggravating situation. We were on time as we arrived at the station. Then as we slowed to make the approach the train came to a complete stop. We just sit there. After 5 minutes finally an announcement is made, we are waiting to be assigned a gate. Excuse me? I do believe that this train arrives around the same time every weekday, please Union Station explain to me why you weren't ready with an assigned gate? I understand that these things happen, however we proceed to sit for 10 more minutes waiting for a gate. That's right, just 15 minutes stuck on the train. There goes my ability to be early this morning.

To add to this incident we pull in behind another train. Now the gate that the train I take normally pulls into is a lower platform, so you have to walk down the steep train steps to disembark. But when you are gated behind an already parked train you are literally out at the end of the terminal. You are out in the middle of tracks on a small stretch of paved walkway that is not even close to the terminal. This make disembarking even harder. In fact usually the crew puts step stools on the ground for passengers to step onto after the step off of the train. (They didn't have many of them this morning, but lucky for me I commute in sneakers.)

Not only is the train late getting in, but I have to hike to the terminal, just to exit union station and get into work. All after waiting 15 minutes for a station to get ready to receive a train that it's used to arriving at 8:41am. Great.

At least there were free donuts and hot apple cider this morning complements of building management. That helped to put me in a better mood before I got thrown into yet another work emergency. WHOOO!

Tomorrow I will experience the wonders of Amtrak as I jet up to NYC for the day on business. We shall see how that goes...

Honest - I'm around, I PROMISE

Okay, so let me be frank. This month has been CRAZY busy with work, hence the lack of posting. As you can see I am posting SUPER early today, because I had to get in SUPER early today. So, in order to wake up my brain and shake out the cobwebs I decided to do a little bit of ranting.

Despite my lack of communication recently you can trust me when I say I've had my fair share of terrible commutes over the past couple of weeks. I've also had SOME relatively good ones, like today, which was nicer because even though there was traffic, people weren't driving like complete idiots.

Start Time: 6:23am

End Time: 8:03am

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

^ Considering that I was driving slow for a good part of the trip, as I fought the urge to fall asleep at the wheel, I'd say that isn't too bad. The traffic was not super heavy, just a steady run in, if I had been more awake I think I could have made better time.

Still, this commute isn't getting any easier. It doesn't matter if I'm going into work or jet setting home - there's always traffic, traffic, and more traffic. It also still remains at least an hour and a half long without traffic ONE WAY. That's 70 terrible miles of distance that my car and I have both learned to hate with a passion.

I'm longing for the urge to move closer. And in fact I have been trying to close on a house for months now, oh the joys of a short sale. >_< My goal is to be close enough to a MARC station to take the train in everyday. Now I definitely know that taking the train into D.C. may have its own problems, but at least I don't have to worry about falling asleep and crashing into somebody. I'm patiently awaiting to see if this move will even happen.

To be honest I can't believe the amount of time that's wasted by my commute each day. I could have at least an extra three hours to nap, read, to do work, pay attention to my pet rabbit (yes I have a pet rabbit), do chores, make dinner, exercise (in the form of jogging or biking), speaking to friends on the phone, etc. That time really could be used for a lot...and yet most of it is spent in the car driving, or making sure that my commuting partner keeps us on the road since he constantly insists on taking on the phone when it's his turn to drive. Don't worry folks, he uses speaker phone and keeps his hands on the steering wheel.

The point remains that something needs to change. You know, I don't think it would be such a bad idea if just across the bay bridge they build a GIANT parking complex, and a monorail or small train system that ran into D.C. or at least to New Carrollton. Seems to me like it would get a lot of people off of the road, less congestion, less emissions from automobiles, etc. Seems like it could be a good investment, but hey, what do I know?

I'm Still Alive!

So I haven't abandoned this blog! It's just that work has been crazy and the commutes have been even worse. I just...don't understand it. One day things will be moving perfectly, the next I'm set to be 15 minutes early to work and traffic makes me 15 minutes late.

Since I spent the end of last week and the weekend in Baltimore I've been taking the MARC. I won't bore you with how nice and short the length of my commute was. However, I will mention that I'm EXTREMELY happy that my train originated out of Penn Station, because once you hit a certain point along that route there is not a single seat to be found. I'm sure if I started taking the train I'd have a whole NEW set of complaints. But still...it's not that ridiculous drive everyday. >_<